Automatic playing attachment for musical instruments.



No. 862,704." PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

- T. P. BROWN.

AUTOMATIC PLAYING ATTACHMENTFOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION P ILED D110. 26, 1903.

2 SHEETS-BEBE! 1 messes 9? mw 909/5 mew 5v No. 862,704. lATENTED AUG. 6, 1907. T. P. BROWN.

AUTOMATIC PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLIOATIGH FILED mm. 26, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 STAT S PATENT OFFICE." j

TiinonoRE'r. amid, oirwoReESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SIMPLEX PIANO PLAYER COMPANY, or wononsrnn, MASSACHUSETTS, a CORPORATION or MASSACHU- SETTS.

AUTOMATIC PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

To all whom-it may concern;

Be it known that I, THEODORE PNBROWN, a citizenof the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have inv'enteda new and useful Automatic Playing Attachment for Musical Instruments, of which the following I is aspecification.

Thisinvention relates to that class 'of self-playing attachments for musical instruments which are controlled by strips of perforated paper.

The especial object of this invention is to provide im proved means for regulating the action of a self-playing attachment for musical instruments so that some oi the notes played thereby will be struck lightly while the remainder of the notes will be struck more heavily.

' Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying two sheets of drawings, Figure 1' isa sectional view of sufficient parts of a self-playing attachment for musical instruments to illustrate the application of my invention thereto. Fig. 2 is a similiirview showing the parts in slightly different positions, and Fig: 3 is a fragmentary view of the regulatirig valve or slide which controls the throttles for vary- 'i ng the operating pressure upon a portion of the keyactuating motors relative to the operating pressure upon the remainder of said motors. 7

1n the use of that class of playing attachments to which this invention relates, it has been found desirable to provide' means for controlling the instrument so that the notes of the air or melody may be more strongly accented than the notes of the accompani nient or bass. I have accomplished this result by providing means for varying the operating pressure upon a to theoperating pressure upon the remainder of s'aid motors. I do this in the specific construction whichl have devised by providing means for throttling the controlling passages leading to that portionoi the keyeratewitli diminished pressure. The throttling valves which I employ are controlled from a slide-board, so that the pressure may be subdued for a greater or less number of bass notes as desired. v

Referring to the drawings and in detail, 'I designates a tracker-board. Cooperating with the traclgenboard T are the music rolls lOcand 11 for winding a strip of perforated paper over the tracker-board. Leading from the tracker-board 'l are tracker-board channels 12, each of which runs to a primary pneumatic 13 Above the primary pneumatics 13 are the wind trunks or chambers 15 and 16, from which the air is exhausted by foot-controlled bellows in the ordinary manner.

Specification of Letters Patent; Application filed December 26,1903. Serial No. 186,546.

portion of the key-actuating.pneumatic-motors relative.

actuatingpneumatic-motors whichit is desired to-op- Patented Aug. 6, 1907. I

Each of the primary neumatics 13 controls a small valve for admitting air tension to-a valve-operating I pneumatic, 14, which valve-operating pneumatic 140p erates a puppet valve for connecting a passage 17 with the wind trunk 16. The passage 17 extends down to one of the striking pne imatics or key-actuating pneumatic mQtors-18. Each of the key-actuating pneumatic-motors 18 operatesa thrust-rod 19 connected to a striking lever 20.

The parts as thus far described will be recognized as corresponding withthe parts ordinarily employed in self-playing attachments for musical instruments; and it is not thought necessary to herein specifically describe the details of the construction or operation 'of these parts. i r l Referring now to the specific form of controlling devices which I have employed for practicing my inven tion,-it is to be observed that the admission of air ten sion from the wind-chest 1G to a passage 17 is normally permitted through a large port or opening 21 and a smaller port or opening 22. In the normal operation, both the ports 21 and 22 are open. Cooperating with the port 21 is a valve carried by a pneumatic Each pneumatic 23 is held back in 'its normal or inoperative position by a flat spring, as shown. Leading. from each of the throttle valve pneumatics 23 is a channel 24. The channels 24 terminate in a perforated board in front of the music rolls, and removably covering these perforations or channels 24 is a coveringslide or valve 25 which may be moved back and forth by a'handle 26 to uncover a greater or less number of the pamages 24 asmay be desired. Extending from the covering-slide 25 is-a pointer 27 which is extended up in position to cooperatewith the tracker board to show what, proportion of the notes represented by the perforations in the paper are to be struckisoftiy.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that each of the throttling pneumatics 23 is provided with a small leak-passageso that when the channel 24 leading to a throttling pneumatic is .closed the suction upon the movable-section of the pneumatic will be balanced. When a channel 2 1 is opened by removing the coveringslide, air pressure will be admitted turough said channel 24 to distend the throttling pneumatic 23 as shown in Fig. 2, thus shutting the larger port 2150 that air from a key-actuating pneumatic corresponding thereto can only be admitted through the restricted port 21, and,- as a result thereof, the operating tension of such key-actuatingpneumatic will be diminished relatively to that of the remainder of said pneumatics.

fiiile I have illustrated and described a particular form in which I prefer to embodytheinvention, I aware that many modifications may be made therein by' any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of. the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited-lo the.

particular construction shown. but

that in the remainder of said channels. and means on said board for controlling the operation of said varying means.

2. In a selfiplaying attachment for musical instruments. the combination of key-actuating pneumatic motors. pas sages connected therewith, a wind chest. a plurality of ports each connecting the wind chest with one of said passages, a valve for closing one of said-ports to restrict the lion: of air between the chestand the passage, :1 pneumatic for controlling said valve, and a slide valve for controlling the admission'of atmospheric pressure to said' pneumatic for closing the valve.

3. In a self-playing attachment for musical instruments, the combination of a series of key-actuating pneumatic ni'otors, a plurality of passages. one communicating with each of said motors, a wind chest. a plurality of sets of ports connecting said wind chest with each of said passages, a valve for closing one i each of said sets of ports. and means for admitting pr ..ure behind each of said valves for closing it, said means being adjustable with respect to the several wind chests whereby anlv number of viiiflfi valves ma;- be operated.

4. in a music .playing device, the combination with keyacmaglhg pneumatic motors, one for each note, of a chant'ml onnected with each motor, a valve for controlling each of said channels. a tracker-bar having channels. means controlled from each of the tracker-lair channels for operating one of said valves. a wind-chest comun'inicating with all of said nr t named channels when their respective valves are open. a valve for restricting the pass: e of air between the wind-chest and each of said channels. a pneumatic for operating catch of said valves. and a series of channels corresponding to the number of pneumatic motors for admitting air to said last named pneumatics to close the valves thereof.

3. in a music playing: device. the combination with keyactuating pneumatic motors, one for each note. of a channcl connected with each motor. a valvc for collirollillL each of said channels. a tracker-bar having channels. m ans controlled from each' of the trackcr-bar channels for npcruting one of said valves. a windchcst communic tin: with all of said first named channels when il'wir rcspcctivc valves are Olliil. a-valve ior restricting the pas of air between the wind-chest and each or said channels. a pneumatic for operating lzlci ot. said valvisa scrics of channels corresponding to thc nnmh r of pneumatic motors for admitting air to said l:lsi'-"ilzllncd pncu-nmtics to close the valves thereof. .11 port closing the last named channels and ha'ving'lines of perforations in which said channels terminate. 'a slitlc valve adapted to move from ollc cud of said lines of perforations to the other and close all of said perforations between the end of the valve and the opposite end of the series of perforations. a handle on said valve for operating it. and a pointer connected with said valve and movable along the trzwln-r-bar to indicatcIthc tracker-bar channel corresponding to the last one of the channels in said port closed by the slide valvc.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. in

the presence of two subscribin witnesses.

, Tlll-luliOltl-I l. llll()\\'.\'..

Witnesses 

